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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. squash — the sport
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. suit — clothes
  6. land — a country
  7. fork — in a road
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. dip — to sink
  14. suit — in cards
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. squash — to crush
  17. season — of the year
  18. land — to come down
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. land — ground
  24. dip — to dunk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com